)
The US Air Force has officially decommissioned the first Minuteman III — LF 5E10 silo at the F.E. Warren Base in Wyoming. This is the symbolic beginning of the replacement of the outdated missile system with the new LGM-35A Sentinel system. According to the command, the combat readiness of the nuclear forces remains: 400 missiles are still on duty.
However, this "historic step" hides serious challenges. The Sentinel program, which is being implemented by Northrop Grumman, is already facing large—scale delays and a sharp increase in cost - the project budget is approaching $100 billion. Experts note that ambitious deadlines may be disrupted again, especially against the background of the complexity of replacing infrastructure that was worked out during the Cold War era.
In addition, the question remains: will ultra-expensive modernization justify its costs in the face of a changing global threat? As the Air Force makes its first move, the future of Sentinel looks less like a triumph of technology than a test of budget and realism.